"Bob" from Direct Auto Protection called to let me know they have been trying to reach me for months to offer an extended warranty on my Lexus. This would be the last attempt. If I did not accept this offer now, right now, then I would never be able to purchase any extended warranty again. He told me the company was the same company that Lexus/Toyota uses for their extended warranties so this is a legit offer.
I said I'd need to contact my husband first. I was shut down on that with his statement again that if I hang up I lose this last opportunity. He told me I need to make a decision now. He said since I'd be paying with a credit card that if I chose not to keep it I could call them and have it charged back to his company. (this is not true as I have found out the hard way!)
I finally gave in though my insticts said to hang up! I gave him my card number and consented to the charge. Once I go the packet in and talked to my husband about it we decided it wasnt really a necessary thing so let's cancel it.
I tried calling but always got the same answering machine stating they were experiencing a high volume of calls please leave a message. I did each and every time. No one ever called back. I started calling Palmer who supposedly is the servicer of the warranty contract. They first told me they could not help me. Then they kept transferring me to Direct Auto of which I got the same recording.
I called my credit card company, explained the situation and that I wanted the charges reversed. They said they could put a stop on all future payments but not on the $599 one! Why? Because it's a 'service' not a product! But it is in dispute now so I don't have to pay it until we get this resolved.
I continued trying to contact a live person at Direct Auto. I have come to believe there is no such thing. So I wrote a letter asking for this contract to be canceled immediately and I had it certified. Well the postal clerk told me the address is not real!!! The zipcode is for Michigan not Florida. The address is real in Florida but the suite number does not exist!!! I checked online and found several different addresses as well as phone numbers and such. Well, the postal clerk changed the zipcode to what would be correct for the Florida address and we took a chance and sent it off. More than likely it will come back as undeliverable. It's only been 11 days since I mailed it.
In the mean time I have continued my barage of calls and messages to no avail. I decided to call the company this Direct Auto fronts for and that is Palmer of whom is really, at least they call themselves these now: Liberty Automotive Protection & Royal Protection Plan. I actually reach live people there but they've been of minimal help. I asked if this other is a real company and they assured me it was. I asked if they could help me and they said they could not. They 'transferred' me to Direct Auto's phone one day. Yet they're not affiliated? Hmm.
On January 7th I started calling "Liberty Auto Plan" and went through a couple calls of excuses until one gentleman asked me to hold while he got an answer to my question. When the line connected again I could hear a woman in the back ground stating "She already had a stop payment on the monthly billings..." then he came on and asked me to write a letter asking to have the contract terminated to "Liberty Auto Plan" and include what I had told him I've done so far, they'd see what they could do. Well, that's more of a response that I've had yet. But if they are not part of Direct Auto Protection then how did anyone there know that I had put a stop payment on my credit card account? It's getting pretty deep!
I have written the letter this weekend and will send it out on Monday. I may also send a second copy on Wednesday as Certified mail becuase I can't get to the post office before then. Might as well continue to cover every angle!
I have to contact my credit card company again and let them know what I've done. See if they recommend I get a lawyer for this or what else I could possible do. I think I will also contact our local TV News people. This would make a splash and get their name out there so others do not fall for this serious SCAM!
I thought I was too smart to fall victim to a scam but here I am now! Pride go before the fall!